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On the flip side, it means those looking to move into Lincoln have had to pay more in recent months.

Halifax managing director Russell Galley said: "A number of towns and cities have recorded significant rises in house prices over the past year, with all of the top 20 performers recording growth of at least double the national average.

Homeowners would have had to pay more for their property

"Unlike last year, the top performers are not exclusive to London and the South East, with the top spot now belonging to Cheltenham in the South West, and towns in East Anglia, East Midlands, North West, Wales and Yorkshire and the Humber also making the list."

The average increase in house prices across the UK was 2.7 per cent, according to Halifax which came up with the new figures after pulling together its own mortgage data.

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Mr Galley said: "The majority of towns in which house prices have dropped in the last year are situated within Scotland or Yorkshire and the Humber."

Here are the top 20 towns with the biggest year-on-year increases in average house prices according to Halifax, with the average house price in 2017 followed by the increase in cash and percentage terms:

1. Cheltenham, South West, £313,150, £36,033, 13%

2. Bournemouth, South West, £273,687, £28,587, 11.7%

3. Brighton, South East, £374,662, £38,289, 11.4%

4. Crawley, South East, £323,660, £30,555, 10.4%

5. Newham, London, £402,781, £37,344, 10.2%

6. Peterborough, East Anglia, £220,623, £20,314, 10.1%

7. Gloucester, South West, £231,581, £20,152, 9.5%

8. Huddersfield, Yorkshire and the Humber, £186,988, £15,981, 9.3%

9. Exeter, South West, £273,874, £22,789, 9.1%

10. Nottingham, East Midlands, £193,397, £15,884, 8.9%

11. Gravesend, South East, £312,940, £25,396, 8.8%

12. Lincoln, East Midlands, £194,723, £15,053, 8.4%

13. Stockport, North West, £235,147, £17,736, 8.2%

14. Swindon, South West, £231,316, £16,683, 7.8%

=15. Redbridge, London, £475,148, £33,981, 7.7%

=15. Swansea, Wales, £164,895, £11,774, 7.7%

=15. Barnet, London, £584,049, £41,697, 7.7%

18. Richmond-upon-Thames, London, £646,112, £45,463, 7.6%

=19. Portsmouth, South East, £222,704, £15,508, 7.5%

=19. Grays, South East, £290,422, £20,145, 7.5%

And here are the 20 towns with the weakest year-on-year growth in average house prices, according to Halifax, with the average house price in 2017 followed by the change in cash and percentage terms: